2 Corinthians 5:21 Commentary and Bible Study

Christ had to be made sin, so he was entirely free from sin. Sin was utterly foreign to him. The Old Testament sacrifices taught the need for a lamb without blemish, symbolising Jesus Christ. Not only did he not commit sin, he knew no sin. He did not think of sin, plan to sin, consider sin as an option in any situation. He did not know of any sin in his conscience, neither sins of omission or of commission. There was no trace of self-love in him, but he denied himself in order to carry out his Father’s will. He had to be made sin, so that our sin rested on him. What does that mean? Some have said that he was made a sinner for us, but that is impossible. He was made sin in the sense that the guilt of our sin was laid upon him. God desired to save millions out of the world, but sin had made that impossible. God’s anger is against sin in general and in particular. To have destroyed sin without an atonement would have meant destroying all. When God said, ‘Where is sin?’, Christ stepped forward and took the place of sin and then the remaking of the universe was made possible, but he was not himself sin. Sin rested on him in terms of its guilt, shame, and penalty. He was treated as though he was guilty, and he went through unknowable agonies. Our sins were imputed to him, but our sins did not enter his heart. He remained perfectly holy throughout. Our sins were imputed to him and his righteousness was imputed to us. We do not become righteous in this act of justification, but God views us as if we were righteous. The verse is about justification, not sanctification. This was not so that we might be made righteous in ourselves, but ‘that we might be made righteous in him’.